"Emma, what's that?" Regina's face paled as she took in the sight of the savior's wrist.
The blonde immediately pulled at her sleeve to cover up the black ink that stained her skin, but it was too late. Regina had seen her tattoo.
"It's nothing," Emma was quick to answer.
Casting her gaze around the interior of the farmhouse, she attempted to change the subject. "Let's get back to looking for that witch."
The savior knew the mayor would not drop the topic, no matter how much Emma wished she would.
She had heard the rumors of Regina's supposed True Love having a lion tattoo, but that was after she had met Robin Hood. When Belle pointed out one day that Emma's drunken mistake of getting a flower painted on her wrist might have meant that she was Regina's True Love, the blonde freaked out.
Ever since, she's tried her best to hide the mark–not wanting to destroy Regina's chance at happiness with her forest bandit.
"It's not nothing, Emma. I didn't know you had a tattoo."
Regina didn't know what to make of the knowledge. During the curse, before Henry, she often found herself bored, so she acquired many different skills–one of which included botany.
The mayor recognized the flower Emma wore on her wrist as none other than the Ville de Lyon flower. But it wasn't the blonde's unique choice in aesthetics that caught the woman's attention; it was the meaning behind the tattoo.
"I've had it ever since I was young. Drunken mistake, that's all," Emma offered a noncommittal shrug, not willing to meet the woman's eyes.
Regina nodded at the information and continued going through the drawers of the wicked witch's kitchen.
A long lull in conversation followed the blonde's statement until Regina decided to speak again.
"You know, Robin's been awfully distant lately. Rolland's still a dear, but I can't help but wonder–"
"You don't have to do this, Regina," Emma was quick to cut off. "Talk to me about him, I mean."
"But you're my friend." Regina knit her brows in confusion. "I know I don't have much experience in that department, but aren't they supposed to talk to each other about their boyfriends or whatever?"
Emma let out a huff of air. "I think this place is clear. There's no signs of the witch." The sheriff brushed past Regina, not waiting for a response.
The woman's action intrigued Regina and made her wonder what the savior was hiding.
That night, Regina and Emma found themselves alone together, once again. They had found where the witch was keeping Rumpelstiltskin and now were patrolling through the forest together, on the lookout for anything suspicious.
"You still haven't told me why you chose that tattoo."
"Would you drop it already, Regina?" Emma exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
Instantly, Regina's gaze was caught onto black ink, which peeked out from the blonde's sleeve, having ridden up due to action.
Before the savior could make an attempt to cover it, Regina's hand latched onto her arm, halting her movements. Both women paused at the warmth the contact brought them.
"Why are you doing this?" Emma panted out, her breath visible in the cold.
Regina looked down at her own hand and then removed it from the other woman's forearm. "I-I don't know." She shook her head at herself. "I'm sorry for pushing. I should respect you wanting to keep some things private."
Emma nodded at the woman's apology and continued to eye her curiously.
"Ever since I saw your tattoo, I've felt…" Regina trailed off, not being able to find the right words.
Emma's heart fluttered in her chest, anxiously waiting for the woman to continue her admission.
"I feel that maybe the whole soulmate thing might not be as true as people make it out to be," she finished.
Finding her voice, the savior asked, "And what makes you think that?"
Deciding now was as good a time as any to be completely honest, Regina announced, "Because I don't want to be with Robin anymore."
Emma tried her best to hide her smirk of victory.
"I just don't feel the same way he feels about me. You know? Sure there's somewhat of a connection, but maybe that pixie dust has reached its expiration date." The brunette's face fell into a frown. "That doesn't make me a terrible person, does it?"
"NO! Not at all," Emma blurted out. "If anything, that makes you human." Taking a chance, she added, "I wouldn't want some fairy dust to tell me who to love, anyway. I say we should get to choose for ourself."
Regina let out a mirthless chuckle. "That's easy to say when you already have your True Love."
"Who? Hook?" Emma's face contorted at the thought. "God, no. The only confirmed True Love there is him and his own reflection."
The mayor laughed at the comment, causing the corner of the blonde's mouth to lift into a smirk.
"Then why don't you just break up with him?" Regina took on a more serious tone.
Emma thought for a moment and debated revealing what was on her mind.
"Because I'm scared." She let out a shaky breath and then continued. "I'm afraid for what might happen if I do go after someone who I choose for myself."
"So there's a someone?" The brunette quirked a brow.
Unable to contain her blush, Emma casted her gaze to the ground.
"Doesn't matter," the blonde muttered out. "It wouldn't work anyway."
"How can you be so sure if you never try?" Regina retorted. She didn't know why she wanted so badly for the savior to follow her heart. Maybe it was the hopeless romantic in her.
"Regina, I–" Emma began, only to cut herself off by pulling the other woman close and crashing their lips together.
She hadn't planned on kissing Regina, but it felt like the only way she knew how to explain what she was feeling.
After they broke apart, both searched each other's eyes. Regina was the first to speak.
"H-how long?"
When only silence came as an answer, she repeated her statement, this time with more force. "How long?"
"Ah-a while," Emma confessed. "I didn't want to say anything."
Regina let out a long sigh. "This is a mess."
"Hey, I wasn't the one who suggested all that 'follow your heart' crap," Emma was quick to defend herself.
After a moment, she paused. "Wait. You kissed me back. You feel it, too?"
"Of course I do, you idiot!" Regina choked out.
"Then what's the problem?" Emma asked, genuinely confused. "If we both want this, why can't we just dump our boyfriends and make it a reality?"
"Because it's not that simple, Emma. Robin's my soulmate, or whatever!"
"But you just said you didn't believe in that," Emma corrected.
"Well try telling that to your parents. Or to him." Regina could feel her heart thumping in her chest.
"So this is about my par–" A bright light flashed up from the savior's arm, interrupting her speech.
Both Emma and Regina stared at it in awe as they located the source–Emma's tattoo.
"It's not possible," Regina gasped out.
Smiling at her newly found hope with tears in her eyes, Emma replied, "Of course it is. It's magic!"